How many victims?- Seven times more likely to be a victim of crime (Kurry et al 1993) - numbers not known
How many offenders- over representation in secure settings (Hare et al 1999) but number in prison unknown (PRT 2009)
Offender numbers overall and types of offences not known.
Victims of crime
Case reports
Stephon Watts was autistic- aged 15 he was shot dead by Chigago police for ‘wielding a butter knife’
“all the family wanted was help, but they got trouble. We are a law-abiding family and we believed in the police and for this to happen is devastating.” Wayne Watts, Stephon’s uncle
Adrian Palmer was autistic – age 21 he was raped, harassed and murdered
“he was vulnerable and became a target because of his condition, but we weren't given any help” Margaret Palmer, Adrian’s grandmother
Victims of crime
NAS survey 2013 - 800 RESPONDENTS
ABUSE
81% SAID THEY HAD EXPERIENCED VERBAL ABUSE,
47% REPORTED VICTIMS OF A PHYSICAL ASSAULT.
28% HAD EXPERIENCED EXPLOITATION, THEFT OR FRAUD
28% HAD POSSESSIONS OR PROPERTY DAMAGED
65% HAVE EXPERIENCED HATE CRIME MORE THAN 10 TIMES.
62% DID NOT THINK POLICE HAD TAKEN THEIR DISABILITY INTO ACCOUNT
‘ALARMING NUMBER’ EXPERIENCING BULLYING
ONLY 6% HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY BULLYING OR ABUSE.
24% HAD BEEN VICTIMS OF CYBER BULLYING
Victims of crime
Case reports
ZH was autistic- aged 16 he was restrained in handcuffs and leg irons by police after refusing to get out of a swimming pool
Subsequently awarded damages in the High Court.
Victims of crime
‘Mate crime’
Individuals with autism more vulnerable to mate crime defined as :-
‘the exploitation, abuse or theft from any vulnerable person by those they consider to be their friends. Those that commit such abuse or theft are often referred to as 'fake friends‘.
Also implicated in offending behaviour by the autistic person
Coerced into offending- seeking approval- intimidated
“You are quite certain that on the night in question you could clearly see the two accused in vicinity of the café where the alleged offence took place ? “
“You say that you saw the defendant and co defendant in the vicinity of the café – Are you quite sure? …You can’t be sure of that can you?... I put it to you that you were in fact mistaken”
“Will you tell the court in your own words…….”
“do you not consider that to be unusual….?”
What is the scale and nature of offending?
Prevalence of ASD in general population 1%
Some studies suggest that between 2% and 4% of offenders have an autistic disorder
Hare et al 1999: Scraggs and Shah 1994, Soderstrom et al 2004
Less able group insignificant in terms of offending- called ‘challenging behaviour’
Holland et al 2002
From research: What is the scale and nature of offending?
15-20% of Asperger population reported at ‘increased risk’ (predisposition)
Of the offender population
Lower reported rates of acquisitive offending
Mixed evidence on violent and sexual offences
Linkage to certain offences? e.g. computer crime , stalking, arson, harassment
2-4% special hospital population with ASD
Prison population ?
Soderstrom et al 2004. Allen at al 2008 , Hare et al 1999: McCarthy et al 2013:
From research : What is the
nature of offending?
Full picture unknown but from actual cases of patients detained in secure hospital (n 62) ; Hare et al 1999
Deliberate exploitation by others- Accomplice to other crimes; possession of stolen property; Trafficking
Cognitive features (‘autistic thinking’) such as :-
Cognitive features (‘autistic thinking’) such as :-
lack of concern or awareness for outcome; social naivety; misinterpretation of rules;inability to predict response of others (instinctive difficulties of understanding the minds of others and context) (TOM, Executive function , Central coherence, Context blindness) Tantam 2008; Baron Cohen 1988; Vermeulen 2013; Murphy 2013
Autism features such as:-
Fixations and obsessive interests, repetitive routines, impulsivity. Language and communication problems – literalness –high need for control Wing 1997; Hare et al 1999; Murphy 2013
Predisposing factors
Predisposing factors (CONT)
Co occurring conditions
Sensory processing differences
Dunn 2008;Kern 2009
Co morbid psychopathology, including ADHD, psychosis, PD ; other neurological disorder;
100 ‘grave’ adult forensic referrals : * 55% other neurodevelopmental disorders and abnormal adult personality development - including psychopathy
Ghaziuddin et al 1998; Hare et al 1999; * Soderstrom et al 2004.
Problems with agreement and accuracy of diagnosis –autistic behaviours in non autistic populations
1. Theory of mind: knowledge others have their own thoughts different to ones own-
Yes – but not all- unable to identify nature thoughts in others-intent-understand emotional states of others
2. Central coherence: – good on detail but not big picture
Yes- but not all
3. Executive function problems: making sense of different and diverse sources of information –self organisation and monitoring-
Yes – but not all
4. ‘Context blindness’: understanding the shifting social context for ones actions and the actions of others –including how own behaviour seen by others - problems with written and unwritten rules
Yes -in most
Vermeulen 2013, Baron Cohen et al 1997; Lerner et al 2012
Other difficulties?
Specific language and communication problems
Literal; concrete; pedantic; rule bound
Related problems
Anxiety- stress
Impulsivity
Sensory differences
Behaviour seen as ‘unusual or odd’ in public
Case example: Ivan
Ivan 18 years
Ivan is a tall, handsome, African man. He does not speak . He travels independently to and from college from his home using the Tube
Ivan travels at times when the Tube is crowded but this particular evening he has been to a social event at college.
When he enters the carriage is empty apart from an elderly lady. Ivan sits next to her
What happened next?
The social ‘instinct’ and autism
The social ‘instinct’ and autism
How to confuse people further ….
‘Social instinct’ in autism
Happy face looks like this
Sad face looks like this
Angry face looks like this
Attributing thoughts and intentions to others
No absolute meaning for social encounters between human beings
All such encounters need context to be meaningful
A major problem in autism is an inability to judge shifting or different contexts
Charlie 23 had been out of work for several months. On this day his hopes were high because he was on his way to apply for a job that seemed just right for him.
As he rode up in the elevator a stranger said pleasantly “nice day isn't it” [ ]
Just then Charlie happened to see his reflection in a mirror near the elevator buttons. His hair was sticking up and he had no comb with him.
He turned to the friendly stranger and said
“may I borrow your comb please?” [ ]
A. Fairly normal in that situation
B. Rather strange in that situation
C. Very eccentric in that situation
D. Shocking behaviour in that situation
In the park
Keith age 27 was a file clerk who worked in an office in the city. At noon he took lunch to a small park and sat on a bench to eat it.
Often he tore part of a sandwich to bits,
scattering it on the ground for the pigeons [ ]
One day a baby carriage was parked next to his bench with a crying baby in it. A woman was swinging an older child nearby but did not hear because the swing was squeaking. Keith had learnt that babies sometimes cry because a nappy pin had come undone.
Rather than bother the mother Keith quickly checked the baby to see if he could feel an open pin [ ]
A. Fairly normal in that situation
B. Rather strange in that situation
C. Very eccentric in that situation
D. Shocking behaviour in that situation
In the supermarket
The supermarket where Robert regularly shopped had a sign
that said “BARE FEET PROHIBITED BY LAW” One day while shopping,
Robert saw a pretty girl, around his age enter the supermarket.
She was wearing a long skirt but no shoes. [ ]
Robert wanted to warn her but was afraid to approach her as strange
things tended to happen when he talked to girls
Finally he decided to follow close behind her with his cart shielding
her feet from the store manager [ ]
She eventually arrived at the checkout that said 10 items or less.
She had 12 items in her basket [ ]
The girl then turned to Robert and said,
“I don’t know why you're following me but if you don’t go away I will call
the police” [ ]
A. Fairly normal in that situation
B. Rather strange in that situation
C. Very eccentric in that situation
D. Shocking behaviour in that situation
What might help ?
Anticipate
Understand autistic thinking
‘mind /context blindness’ and related problems-
Identify predisposing precipitating and perpetuating risk factors
with a view to early intervention- don’t ignore vulnerabilities, minor indiscretions or warnings!
Reduce social isolation
Create opportunities for social participation
What might help ?
Respond
Assertive outreach
Detection and diversion strategies e.g.
Autism Alert Cards?
How to ‘screen’ at different levels –is it possible ? Good sensitivity but poor specificity of screening
Appropriate Adult schemes
Teach strategies and context based - not just ‘social’ skills
Evidence-based training for specific CJS personnel particularly the police – judges- probation officers
Study offender populations–what sort of disorders -offences?
Adapt offender treatment programmes
What might help ?
Respond
Court-appointed intermediary
works with a witness and any person asking questions during an interview or trial.
may help the witness to understand the questions -make sure that their responses are understood by the people asking the questions
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